Staying Inside
by Kitsune-Paws
Summary: It's too cold to go out, but Atemu is stubborn. Good thing the weather is even more unyielding than he.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or its characters. I also do not profit from this work of fiction.**

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 **A/N: A fic prompt I recieved on twitter. (cross-posted on Ao3)**

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 **Summary:** **It's too cold to go out, but Atemu is stubborn. Good thing the weather is even more unyielding than he.**

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Gazing out the window on a cold afternoon, Yuugi sighed, lips puckering. The temperature outside was ten below, cold as hell frozen over. The snow had started to fall three hours ago and showed no signs of stopping. From the window, he could see three feet of snow in front of the door. He shook his head and moved away from the window, stepping back and turning around.

His eyes fell upon Atemu, who was deep in the hallway closet, searching for a coat. Yuugi could barely see his back, the most of him swallowed by jackets, sweaters, and windbreakers.

"Donuts aren't worth hypothermia," he said. "I changed my mind. You can't go out in this weather."

"I'll be _fine,"_ Atemu's muffled voice floated over to him, followed by a soft chuckle. "I survived four years of high school with Seto Kaiba harassing me for a duel every other day, I can damn well handle a little snow."

"This isn't _'a little snow',"_ Yuugi said, gesturing at he window, which Atemu could not see from his position. "I can't even see the street!" He walked over to the closet, reaching in and pulling Atemu out. He had found a coat and was about to pull it on, but Yuugi grabbed at his hands, stopping him. Pausing, Atemu looked at him with raised eyebrows, and Yuugi gave him a meaningful look. "And you _hate_ the cold," Yuugi added. "Just stay here with me where it's warm and nice, and we can watch that movie we've been putting off all month."

"Yuugi," Atemu said firmly, removing his hands from Yuugi's hold and placing them on his shoulders. He looked Yuugi straight in the eyes and said, "You're the one who wanted donuts in the first place."

"Well, yeah," Yuugi nodded, and he quickly shook his head, "but —"

"Do you still want them?" Atemu asked, head tilting to the side.

"Well," Yuugi said, considering, "it'd be nice to have some donuts, but —"

"What does 'bae' stand for?" Atemu interrupted, derailing the conversation, and Yuugi frowned.

"Before anyone else," Yuugi answered, peeved at being interrupted twice and unsure where Atemu was going with this.

"Am I your bae?" Atemu said with a smile, and he dropped his hands to Yuugi's waist, pulling him closer. Yuugi blushed, but nodded emphatically. "Are you _my_ bae?" Atemu said, reeling him into a hug and tenderly nudging their noses together.

"Mm-hm," Yuugi hummed in answer, his previous irritation evaporating. He placed a small kiss on Atemu's lips and nodded. "Of course," he said.

"Then if you're my bae," Atemu murmured against Yuugi's lips, "that means you're before anyone else." He pulled back from Yuugi. "Which means you come before me." He swiftly slid on the jacket and said, "Which means I'm getting you those damn donuts."

Atemu walked to the door without pause, Yuugi following with protests tumbling from his lips.

"Atemu!" Yuugi complained. "You can't just act all cool and do what you want! It's cold!"

Regardless, Atemu zipped up his jacket and unlocked the door. Even as Yuugi grabbed at him, he opened it wide and took a step out, his boot sinking into the snow up to his knee. The wind cascaded against them, gusting into the house, and Yuugi wrapped his arms around himself, shivering violently in his thin sweater-shirt.

"Atemu!" Yuugi reprimanded, but Atemu had already frozen, hand on the framework and immobile. Listing to one side, Yuugi tried to keep most of his body behind Atemu as he tried to peer at his face. "Atemu?"

"Nope," Atemu said, and he stepped back, almost stepping on Yuugi in his hurry to close the door and lock it. "Nope," he repeated, unzipping his jacket and tugging it off as he made his way to the living room. Yuugi followed, bemusedly watching as Atemu sat himself before the fireplace. They had installed an electric heater there, complete with a LED visual of fake fire for the aesthetic. Atemu rubbed his arms in a flurry, trying to engulf himself in the heat billowing out of the vents. "Sorry, Yuugi," Atemu said, reaching out his hands to warm them, "but _fuck_ the donuts. It's too cold."

Abruptly, Yuugi laughed, sitting behind Atemu and putting his arms around him.

"Silly," Yuugi said, his voice filled with affection. "That's alright. The bakery is probably closed anyway." He pressed a kiss to Atemu's neck, nuzzling him for good measure. "Want some hot chocolate?"

"Yes, please," Atemu said, shuddering and shaking his head as if to shake off the cold that still clung to his pores.

"Coming right up, honey bun."

Departing to the kitchen, Yuugi gathered the ingredients on the kitchen table and placed a saucepan on the burner.

"Hey, Yuugi?" Atemu called as Yuugi poured out the milk.

"Yes?" Yuugi answered, turning the dial on the stove.

"You're still my bae, okay?" Atemu said, and Yuugi paused, smiling to himself.

"I know," he said.

"It's just — it's _really_ cold," Atemu excused, and Yuugi could not help the chuckle that left him.

"I know," Yuugi said. "It's okay, Atemu. I don't want you out in the cold anyway."

There was silence for all of ten seconds before Atemu spoke again.

"Am I still your bae?" he asked.

"Of course," Yuugi readily answered.

"I'll get you tons of donuts this weekend when this cheese-forsaken cold front stops harassing the city," Atemu said, and Yuugi stepped back from the stove, waiting for the milk to heat up. He leaned against the table, a warm feeling embracing his insides.

Yuugi sighed happily.

"Thanks, Atemu," Yuugi said. "I love you."

 _"I love you more,"_ Atemu sang back to him, and Yuugi pressed his lips together, frowning.

"We're not having this discussion again," Yuugi said, "especially when we both know it's me that loves you most."

"I will fight you," Atemu declared, and Yuugi scoffed.

"Bring it on," he said. He waited for a reply, his insides stirring with anticipation. But the seconds passed and Atemu did not speak. Humming with slight disappointment, Yuugi reached for the chocolate only to find it was not there. Frowning, he went to the pantry, searching for the chocolate slabs when he was suddenly seized from behind and lifted up off his feet.

Yuugi squeaked in surprise, hands grabbing at the arms squeezing his stomach.

"You really want to fight?" Atemu asked, and Yuugi flushed. "Because I will have no mercy."

"Put me down!" Yuugi squealed. "Cheater!"

"I would _never,"_ Atemu vehemently denied. "All's fair in love wars, and you, my darling, have provoked the beast."

However, Atemu set Yuugi down and turned him on the spot. He pushed Yuugi against the doorjamb of the pantry, a wide grin spreading his lips.

Yuugi smirked back at him.

"You made one fatal mistake, my love," Yuugi said, and Atemu lifted one thick eyebrow.

"Oh, and what would that be?" Atemu asked.

"You forgot I can do _this,"_ Yuugi said and he kissed Atemu fully on the lips, pulling him close by the lapels of his shirt. He felt Atemu immediately sink into the kiss, his hands gently cradling Yuugi's back, and Yuugi pulled away, grinning from ear to ear.

Blinking, Atemu stared at him, dumbfounded for a long moment. Once he regained his bearings, he cleared his throat and nodded seriously.

"No, you're right, I'm done for," he said. "Finish me off — aim for a fatality." And he kissed Yuugi, chuckling as he did so. His lips were shaking against Yuugi's who began to laugh against his mouth, unable to keep up the pretense. Giving up, Atemu moved back and rested his forehead on Yuugi's, sighing in contentment and holding him close.

"I love you," he said earnestly. "Thank you for loving me back."

"Thank you, too," Yuugi mumbled, closing his eyes. Briefly, he stood there, warm in Atemu's arms. He sank into it, comfortable and yearning for a long embrace, but he jerked in place. "Milk," he said.

"Hm?" Atemu asked, puzzled as Yuugi pulled away from him.

"Chocolate," Yuugi said, his voice firmer. "The milk's going to burn."

"Oh, right," Atemu said, and he spotted the chocolate on the shelf. "Let me help you." He moved around Yuugi and grabbed the chocolate as Yuugi went for the stove to check the milk.

Everything was fine, and together, they finished making the hot chocolate.

Fortuitously, Atemu found a bag of large marshmallows at the back of the pantry, and they squeezed four each into their mugs before heading for the couch in the living room.

Atemu set up the movie, and Yuugi got comfortable on he couch, sitting close to the corner but leaving sufficient space behind him. When Atemu managed to queue up the film, he squeezed in behind Yuugi, snug with the armrest, and pressed a kiss to Yuugi's cheek.

"Thanks," he murmured, grateful that Yuugi had left him his preferred position, squeezed in the corner with an armful of Yuugi.

"Press play," Yuugi said, pulling the pale purple throw hanging over the couch and spreading it over them. He went for the mugs then, taking them from the coffee table and handing Atemu his.

Atemu pressed play, setting the remote aside and wiggling his leg behind Yuugi.

"Alright," Atemu said, "let's see what everyone's raving about."

"I'm calling it now," Yuugi said. "The brother's gonna be helpful and repair his broken relationship with his brother."

"No way," Atemu said as the opening credits rolled and the music swelled, "he's a bad guy. He tried to kill his adoptive father _and_ his brother."

"People change!" Yuugi protested. "Just look at the Kaiba brothers. Noah spends all his holidays with Mokuba and Seto now."

"Humans can change," Atemu agreed, "but do gods?"

Outside, the blizzard continued to blow, but inside, Atemu and Yuugi were warm and content.

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 **The End**

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 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed. Feel free to drop a comment/fave.**


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